


Courier's Courage

by Raeliyah



Category: Campaign (Podcast), Campaign Skyjacks, Courier's Call
Genre: Birds, Courier's Call - Freeform, Drabble, Flying Lessons, Gen, Not Beta Read, Red Kite, Swiftwell's Courier Service, Yellow Audron, always buckle your seatbelt, buncha OCs because I don't wanna step on any toes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22440862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raeliyah/pseuds/Raeliyah
Summary: Flying is not for the faint of heart.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

“Welcome to the Highlands, branchers!” 

All-Courier Liyah strode up to the pair of new apprentices on the deck of the Yellow Audron, bright against the weathered wood in their new coats. They stood up straighter as she approached, as if they hadn’t just had their heads together whispering over Nomad. 

“So, Captain’s asked me to give you two a little demonstration. I take it you’re good an’ familiar with bird harness about now, right?” 

“Yes, Courier,” the shorter one said immediately, trying unsuccessfully to tuck wispy mouse-brown hair under her cap and out of her face. 

“Name, kid?” 

“Risal Bowercall.” 

“Alright, Risal, point ‘em out for me.” Liyah whistled Nomad over and the big red kite obligingly left off the preening scattering bits of birddust and down across the deck and picked her way over. “Don’t worry, Nomad’ll help. She’s as mild as they come. At least on the ground.”

“Aah… sure. So, this one’s the martingale, the breast collar, the belly band, check line, brace loops…” Risal, after a couple moments of shyness, got right up under Nomad’s wide rust-and-white wings, naming every band of leather and bit of metal. 

“Very good, very good!” Liyah crowed. Risal stepped back to join her fellow apprentice, laughing as Nomad reached down after her, soliciting for scratches. 

Liyah held up one more piece—a band of double-stitched leather with two loops of metal at either end, as long as her leg. “An’ what’s this one?” 

The taller one had been watching, every bit as intent as a hungry warbird. “It’s a Courier’s Courage.” 

“That’s right, Apprentice…?”

“Rox Mistral, Courier.” 

“Rox. It’s really a tether strap, but it’s one of the most important parts of your gear. You make sure these are in good shape, and you can fly through anything.” Liyah clipped the loops to the harness around her own waist and chest, and swung up to Nomad’s saddle just behind the wing-joints. She clipped in to the other tethers already waiting, fitted her toes into the brace loops, pulled the mask down over her face and her fingers around the holds in their fur-lined pocket on the saddle.

“And this, kids— this is why you always, always keep your Courage. Watch! Nomad,  _ go! _ ” 

Nomad hopped to the railing, spread her wings, and  _ fell _ off the ship. 

Courier and mount shrieked in exultant glee, twisting and rolling and corkscrewing through the air around the docked Audron ship. Nomad showed off why she was the best flyer in the Highlands, her forked tail and long narrow wings spinning her in moves that would leave another warbird grasping air. Liyah was upside down more often than not, the tethers keeping her in the saddle, and she let go of her handholds to wave at the apprentices and cheering skyjacks as they flashed one last time past the ship. 

Nomad landed on the deck with a thump and a flurry of wingbeats a few minutes later. Liyah, flushed and laughing, hopped down and brandished the Courage. 

“So, who’s next?” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More object lessons on why one should always have their Courage ready.

Rox Mistral, courier initiate, knew the second their bird decided to dive. 

All of Turnover’s headfeathers slicked tight to his skull, the lazy beats of his wings keeping them hovering by the post office while the last packages were readied turned somehow more serious, and— more importantly— 

Turnover snuck a glance back to see if Rox was paying attention, their long dagger beak parted in the kingfisher’s equivalent of a grin.

The one time Rox hadn’t paid attention, they’d ended up dumped in a freezing autumn mud puddle. 

“No. No, don’t you dare, Turnover, you already ate. Turnover, NO—”

Turnover laughed. 

The brown and white head ducked, focused on the water beneath him, and Rox had half a second to make sure their Courage straps were firmly latched. Turnover flicked his tail and twisted, executing one of the stomach-dropping maneuvers that had earned him his name, and plunged arrow-straight into the icy brine. 

Rox was not ashamed to admit they may have screamed. Just a little. It was mostly swallowed by the water. 

By the time they emerged, Rox was soaked through. Turnover had a… something large, gray, and wriggling… in their beak, and looked immensely pleased with himself. 

Rox’s All-Courier mentor found them dripping in the saddle while Turnover smacked his prey against the brick roof of the post office a few minutes later. The mentor took it all in from the back of their cormorant.

“He dive on you?”

“Yep.”

“Well, at least it’s wool, kid. You’ll stay warm. C’mon, last run of the day, then you can dry off. Only a few miles.”


End file.
